


ISEKAI HAS FAILED ME

by Avescor



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Fruits Basket, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-01-10
Packaged: 2019-10-07 11:20:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17364968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avescor/pseuds/Avescor
Summary: One day, our hero woke up in the body of a small child with a mind full of foreign memories. The last thing they had seen was a truck. It was obvious what happened.“AH! I’ve been isekai-ed! DAMN YOU TRUCK-SAMA!”What possibilities await our hero?(A collection of snippets where the main character dies and finds themselves in a foreign world. Recent chapter: Fruits Basket world and an extra)





	1. Kuroko no Basket

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think. If any of you want me to expand on it, please let me know and I'll consider it. Thank you for reading!

One day, our hero woke up in the body of a small child with a mind full of foreign memories. The last thing they had seen was a truck. It was obvious what happened.

 

“AH! I’ve been isekai-ed! DAMN YOU TRUCK-SAMA!”

 

* * *

 

**First World**

 

* * *

 

“What was that?” The teacher asked in barely concealed irritation.

 All around her, the class started laughing.

 “Sen…sensei…” Our hero’s head was bent over her desk. For a moment, when you looked at her, you could feel her deep and overwhelming grief.

Suddenly, she looked up. The teacher recoiled at the expression on her face.

 “SENSEI!” She cried with teary round eyes, “I just had a horrible dream where a truck hit me and I was transported to another world!”

 “You…NATSUME ARISU YOU READ TOO MANY LIGHT NOVELS-wait, that’s not the point. The point is, STOP SLEEPING IN CLASS! You’re already behind as it is!”

 “Mou…I don’t like you when you’re like this, Big Brother…”

 Her brother, the teacher, scowled. “IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT HERE THEN GO TO ANOTHER SCHOOL!”

 Truthfully, he had attempted to have her switched to another class, since it wasn’t good to teach your own family member. Beyond accusations of favoritism, it also prevented both the teacher and student form learning as well as they could. But due to her difficult personality…

* * *

 

 “..there was no choice but to accept her into my class.”

 Coach Shirogane leaned back into his chair. “What about her club, Natsume-sensei?”

“She followed me into the Art club because I’m the only person she knows here. Yet because of our closeness and her strange character, none of the other students want to become close to her.”

“So she clings onto you all the more…”

Natsume-sensei nodded, frustrated to the point of tears. “Yes and since my parents indulge her too much, they only asked that I take care of her. ”

Saying things like “stop bullying your little sister!” and “do you want her to quit? It was hard enough getting her to want to go!” and “if she wants to go to that school, then let her go to that school!”. That kind of thing…

“Ah, in that case, how about she join the Basketball team as an assistant manager? Our first string is currently understaffed. If you can get her to join, it might help…”

 _ _Since our first string have strange characters as well…__  

“Would you? Truly?”

Coach Shirogane closed his eyes and smiled serenely. “Of course! If your younger sister is as excellent as you, then you’d be doing me a favor. My basketball team is always in need of new help…”

__Since the First String keeps chasing them away…_ _

“I-! Coach! Thank you!” Touched, Natsume wiped away his teary eyes. He bowed to his old coach. “In that case, I’ll entrust her in your care.”  

 

* * *

 

Natsume Haruki been at the end of his rope when it came to his younger sister, entirely unsure of what to do. Because she had been sickly as a child, she spent most of her time in the hospital, missing most of the socialization children her age should’ve had in order to grow up well. Not only that, but due to her fragility, their family indulged her far more than they would’ve normally.

Indeed, it was hard not to when she looked up at you with those round, clear and glassy eyes, but it wasn’t good to, especially now that her body was healthy again.

However, he couldn’t keep watching over her like this. 

First, it was unprofessional. He didn’t know who it was that pulled the strings to put and keep her in his class, but at this point, all he could do was show that he was just as strict if not stricter even with his own family. No favoritism in his class, thank you very much! 

Second, it was bad for his career. He’d just started out teaching, striving to show that he could excel even without his family’s name. Accusations of nepotism would greatly hinder that effort during this crucial time. He wanted to continue improving as well. It’d be hard to, when faced with the possibility of hurting his relationship with his younger sister.

Third and most importantly, protecting her too much would stunt Arisu’s development. She was in middle school. While she’d been sick when she was younger, she was fine now! Now only that, but she’d already missed her sunshine youth, spending most of it in that dull and drab white hospital world. If she kept clinging to him, she’d make no friends and entirely waste the time given to her.

 

* * *

 

“Arisu, what Big Brother wants the most for you right now is for you to live a happy life.”

“Hm?” Arisu looked up from the Okonomiyaki sizzling across from them. “Big Brother, do you think this is finished?”

“Arisu! Look at me when I’m talking to you!”

“Hmm…but I don’t care about that, Onii-chan! Right now, I just want to eat Okonomiyaki. That’s all I’m focused on right now.” She smiled and clapped her hands happily. “Isn’t life better when you focus on what’s in front of you?”

“This is exactly what I’m talking about! You need to start planning and looking ahead to the future!” He placed his face in his hands. “If you want to live happily, then you need to start planning for it otherwise you’ll lose out on a lot of opportunities.”

“Hmmm…no. I don’t want to. I want to be happy my own way and not yours, Big Brother. So you and Mom and Dad need to stop nagging me otherwise I won’t talk to you about this anymore.”

 _ _Most importantly,__ thought Arisu, _ _I’m a grown woman stuck in this child body for the foreseeable future! Who would be happy about this? This isn’t even a proper isekai! It’s more like a Chinese webnovel, but without the hot men or royalty or golden finger!__

__Damnit! Give me back my dreams!_ _

“I’m…I’m just going to be a tourist in this world until Truck-sama comes back here and does their job properly…” she mumbled out loud.  

Haruki’s frown turned scary. “What did you just say, the reads too many light novels and not enough textbooks Natsume Arisu?”

“Uh oh.”

 

* * *

 

“Anyways, just join the basketball team so that your big brother can stop worry,” said her big brother as they tucked into their dinner.

He lectured her for a long time about not giving up and keep fighting and striving for your dreams like somebody who belonged in a shounen manga. Who believed in these kinds of things anymore?

Not Arisu, that’s for sure. Not even the her that existed before her memories of a past life came back.   

Still, like any obedient child who loves her brother, Arisu willingly obeyed, her heart torn between excitement and anxiety. The Girl’s Basketball team…could she really join? What if they hated her? What if they tore up her textbooks and threw her homework in the fountain and put tacks in her shoes and-

“No,” her brother said with forced patience as they left the restaurant, “I meant the boy’s.”

“Nii-sama, that’s bad! Then I’m going to be relegated into a cross-dressing romance plot!”

Her brother pinched her face.“Just…what kind of strange things is my little sister saying in public? Keep your hobbies to yourself!”

“Nooooooo Nii-sama, my face hurts-!”

 

* * *

 

“This is your new manager, Natsume Arisu. Please be kind to her, boys.”

The newcomer was firstly, a girl. Second, a petite girl! A petite girl with pale, almost translucent skin and eyes that were as clear as glass. She looked like a little doll!

__What a cute girl!_ _

“Hello,” said the newcomer with a proper and polite bow, “my name is Natsume Arisu. Please take care of me.”

At that moment, a million fears and doubts entered Arisu’s mind. Although it was true that she was a woman with some level of life experience, teenagers were an entirely different ball park (or rather, court). She didn’t know how to talk to teenagers beyond her brothers (in her previous life) and they mostly just blew her off!

__So-so many teenagers! How…how do I talk to teenagers? What if I destroy their fragile psyches? Or-or what if my big mouth reveals too much and they find out I’m a reincarnator? No, no, they wouldn’t think such a far fetched thing. At worse, they’d think…_ _

__That I were a liar! NOOOOOOOO!__

“Nijimura, make sure you show her around and introduce her to everybody.”

“Sure thing Coach!”

Thus, despite the warm welcome she received, that was the only thing she said that entire day. Whenever she looked as if she were about to speak, her face would turn black and then she’d look away as if she’d seen something dirty.

(...I’m too scared…)

For the team that so eagerly looked forward to having another cute (and competent) assistant manager, it was like being struck by lightning, like thinking your mother was going to bake you a delicious cake only to find out that she ate it all. Like seeing a hot sexy lady and realizing she was a man all along!

In other words…a complete and utter disappointment!

Was it because she was tired? Was it because she’d been forced in by her older brother? Was it because she, a girl who looked like a stereotypical ojou-sama with soft hands, disdained cleaning up after them? Whatever the reason, she refused to socialize!

Of course, if you’d ask Arisu, she would’ve told you in an upfront way, ‘No! That’s definitely not it!’, but nobody did. The First String had to slowly but surely figure out the truth on their own. The truth of Natsume Arisu’s incredible social awkwardness!

(And by First String, I mean the Generation of Miracles.)

As expected, some figured it out more quickly than others.

 

* * *

 

**Murasakibara**

 

“Eh…so you’re the new manager.” Murasakibara said in between chomps of his maiubo. He looked at her seriously. “What’s going to happen to Sa-chin?”

 “...” Arisu looked up at this tall giant child that had trapped her up against the wall and trembled.

  _W_ _ _hy are the kids in this world so big?__

But she didn’t want to engender hostility against her because they thought she was replacing the much beloved Momoi-san, neither did she want to cause over concern for something so small, especially for the innocent Momoi-san.

 So for the sake of clearing things up, she forced herself to speak!

 _ _“__ I’m-I’m not…replacing anyone.” She stuttered out.

 “You’re so small…I could crush you at any point.”

 Arisu nodded jerkily. He could see her small body trembling. 

Ah. So that was it. Atsushi nodded to himself.

A small person being wary of a large person…this was simply the natural order.

 

* * *

 

**Momoi**

 

“M-Momoi-san…” Arisu looked up with a sickly looking expression, “how do you do this?”

Her classmate looked up from where she was talking to Aomine. Upon seeing who it was, her formerly angry expression transformed into a happy one. She skipped over, her long pink hair flowing behind her.

Arisu watched, dazed. Ho-how pretty! Momoi-san was so pretty!

“Oh, it’s Natsume," Aomine said. 

“A-Arisu-chan!” Momoi said eagerly, as she leaned in closer, “What do you need help with?”

Arisu nodded robotically.

“What does Arisu-chan need help with?”

“...can you please tell Kise-san…”

“Hm?”

“...to-to-to..”

 Momoi leaned in with a friendly smile on her face. “To?”

 “To…to…never mind.” Arisu mumbled before trying to walk off. 

 “Eh? You like Kise?”

 “Let her finish, __Dai-chan.__ ” Momoi gave her an encouraging look. “Go on, Arisu-chan and say what you need to. We’ll listen to the very end!”

From the very beginning, Satsuki wanted to get to know this person better outside of the strange stiff, almost ‘boss subordinate’ dynamic their relationship had become. Compared to the other girls, this new assistant was a hundred times more competent and supportive. Her burdens had considerably lightened! It was easy to tell Arisu what to do, but it was harder to talk to her about personal things.

But they were peers weren’t they?

Wouldn’t it be nice if they were better friends?

“Hmm…since it can be difficult to approach Kise-kun, I can do it for you, if you like!”

Arisu looked up at her hesitantly. Since the smaller girl hadn’t run yet, Momoi took it as a good sign. She plunged forward.

“I won’t tease you for it! A lot of girls like him since Kise-kun is handsome and well-mannered, but I only like-”

“N-No!” Arisu shouted. “THAT’S ILLEGAL! I’D RATHER DIE THAN DATE THAT KISE-SAN!”

__I’m twenty-seven damnit! How could I like a little boy? What kind of person do you think I am? Huh? A pervert!?_ _

Around them, where first and second string were practicing against one another, the shout echoed around the room. Everyone turned around to stare at the new assistant manager. That was the loudest they’d ever heard her speak! She’d been so disgusted at the thought of dating Kise! 

Kise, who had heard the whole thing, still pretended he heard nothing. He’d never spoken to this person. Never knew this person even existed before she showed up. He ignored the curious and beseeching eyes of his neighboring teammates, all secretly using their eyes to ask, __Kise! What did you do for her to hate you so much?__

They all wanted to know, but sorry, he really didn’t know and he really didn't care to know. 

“So-sorry,” the new assistant manager said finally, feeling terrible about how she’d singled out such a young boy. What if she scarred him for life and damaged his fragile psyche? She turned to the manager, “Anyways…it’s…I’m not…it’s not like that, please don’t misunderstand!” Short bow. “Thank you Momoi-san! I’m going to go do it myself!” With those words, hastily forced out, she rushed off in a cloud of dust.

“Looks like she’s skittish,” the pink-haired manager murmured, “I’ll have to approach her more cautiously next time! Like how a hunter approaches a deer! I need more information…” she brightened. "Then I can help her with Kise-kun!" 

“Satsuki…that’s really creepy.”

 

* * *

 

**Haizaki**

 

“So this is our new assistant manager eh?” He said as he sauntered into the basketball court.

The new assistant stared at him blankly. Haizaki smirked down at her. He ruffled his silver hair and leaned down towards her small face.

__What a little punk. Just by looking at him, I can totally tell…_ _

“Hey, you’re pretty cute.” He said suavely, “how about you and me get together sometime, to get to know one another?”

Arisu was trapped. __The fuck do I do? If I say no too harshly…what if I damage his fragile psyche? Like Big Brother said…this is a fragile time for young people!__

 “You’re not really my type,” he said with a conceited smile, “but I’ll make an exception just for you.”

 “Is this what they call…children experimenting and learning to grow as they slowly but surely expand their delicate psyches?” She muttered to herself as she stared down at her small hands.

 This body looked like it belonged to a grade-schooler…but it learned more quickly than she did normally. How strange!

 Shougo scowled. “The fuck are you talking about? I’m not delicate!” He insisted angrily. “I’m not!”

 (“Haizaki can be a handful.” Captain Nijimura told her bluntly the day she’d arrived. “If he goes too far, just punch him in the throat.”)

__It’s fine if it’s a teen like Nijimura, but there’s no way I, an adult, can do that! I have to be kind and understanding to this young boy in need of better guidance! This is what it means to be a proper adult member of society!_ _

With those kinds of thoughts percolating in her brain, Arisu looked up at Haizaki and smiled the way an adult would smile to a teen.

In a clear voice, she said: “Don’t worry, Haizaki-kun looks very strong and will one day grow older.”

Haizaki turned bright red. All around them, everybody that was practicing that day saw what was going on…and completely misunderstood!

__Sh-she just smiled!_ _

__Did she just call him -kun instead of -san?_ _

__Didn’t she just say he’ll be strong!?_ _

__And he’s blushing!_ _

__Are they together?_ _

Those kinds of (stupid) thoughts floated through the people’s minds. The thought of ‘how could a rich ojou-sama like her like a guy like him?’ and the mixed feeling of realizing that even girls that were the highest in society would also lower their gaze for a guy like this! Not only that, but the usually shameless Haizaki turned bright red with embarrassment!

Naturally, with such good gossip, everybody tuned in!

Haizaki Shougo was not stupid. His special ability- to copy somebody else movements and make it into his own required not only a high level of observation, but also a greater level of comprehension and understanding of human psychology and the true intentions of a human being.

In short, he not only understood her intent, but also what it meant for him. 

His ability to steal placed him slightly above Kise in that he understood the implications of his observations and what they meant for _him,_ even how to use it. It was only that he himself chose not to use this ability for anything else than his own satisfaction.

It was his own gift, you know? Why did he have to give his things over to other people just because they want it? He didn’t necessarily like his gift, but that didn’t mean he wanted others to have it either. He was a boy with this level of comprehension and mindset.

Naturally, he understood what the others could not. Which is to say, this woman is clearly an adult! A real adult! If she had scolded him like the teachers did, he would’ve known what to do, but adults like this…

“...I don’t know how to deal with adults like you.” He said bluntly before walking past her.

Arisu smiled to herself. For some reason, this boy reminded her of her younger brother.

 

* * *

 

From where he was working on his drills, Kise held back a snicker. Like Haizaki, he had seen something the others hadn’t. Or rather, heard the entire thing!

__Pft. She rejected him! All the while talking down to him like he was a little kid!__

_Best of all, Haizaki knew it the whole time and had no choice but to swallow his pride and eat his own words!!_

Even though Haizaki’s girlfriend hadn’t actually been _Kise's_  girlfriend to begin with and while the blond didn’t necessarily have good feelings for the new assistant manager that insulted his masculine pride… that silver haired First Stringer had really humiliated him the last time he played against him!

Kise Ryouta wasn’t mature enough to let that kind of thing go.

__This new assistant manager really showed me something good today~! M__ __aybe she's not so bad after all...if she's interesting like this._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's all I have for this one. Sorry it's unfinished and sorry about the bad formatting. Next chapter will cover the thoughts I had while working on this story and why I wasn't able to continue. 
> 
> Hint: a different idea completely took over.


	2. Explanation on Kuroko no Basket snippet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief explanation. Tell me what you think.

**Here's my explanation of the background of the previous snippet as the author:**

I was sick of all those isekai, reincarnated into a story types where the clearly adult character should be acting like more of an adult. So here we have this person, who is in her twenties and has no intention of dating young children. Rather, she looks upon these small children and thinks, I will raise them as my children.

All! On! Her! Own! since clearly these adults aren't competent enough. What kind of person puts victory over the fragile psyches of young people?

Due to her small and delicate appearance though, people always misunderstand her. There's a huge divide in how she is perceived and how she actually is, one I hoped I highlighted while writing this snippet. 

I wanted to continue because it sounded fun, but the more I planned it out, the more it changed.

It became a story about how Haizaki Shougo actually has spiritual powers that allow him to see spirits. To dampen this strengthening ability, he does a lot of things meant to dampen his spirituality (and thus are not good for him) because he doesn't know how to cope with it. HIs grey hair should actually be silver, but it's become dull along with his spiritual powers.

The Isekai! OC would actually be his deceased aunt, Christina, who was entered/reincarnated into a child form and acts as his mentor while everybody around them thinks they're dating.

Kuroko would be the mixed race child between an Ayakashi and a human man. This has led to his ability. He and Haizaki would later join a group with the newly arrived from America Middle School!Kagami, who Christina has befriended. She would find this Kagami in need of good friends and think of the Aomine in need of guidance and would introduce him to the Teikou First Stringers. I would have fun with their interactions. 

(I didn't give our OC the usual 'orange' themed name because Taiga = Tiger = Orange. Have you noticed?)

Since Kagami watched Supernatural a lot, he actually has a lot of interesting knowledge (use salt! lots of salt!!!) and would later become the researcher of the group. The three of them would go onto crazy spiritual adventures together in secret. Whenever things got too serious enough, Haizaki's aunt, who ordinarily lived her normal Isekai-ed life, would bail them out.

Then we have Kise, who becomes curious about where Kuroko-chi is going and about the strange things he's started noticing about Haizaki. He too has some special ability that allows people to fall in love with him, but doesn't really want to get involved in life threatening adventures with the rest of them. He would be the cool and aloof fourth member!

Although initially uninterested in the OC (because related to Haizaki eew), he would eventually fall in love with the OC and work hard to grow into a mature man she can rely on, since she doesn't like little kids. Our Kise who can make nearly anyone fall for him (except for those like Haizaki who distrust those like him on instinct) falls for this one woman he can't have (at least until he's of a respectable legal age and convinces her he's worth seeing as a man). 

Maybe one day I'll write this story haha


	3. Harry Potter

One day, our hero woke up in the body of a small child with a mind full of foreign memories. The last thing they had seen was a truck. It was obvious what happened.

 

“AH! I’ve been isekai-ed! DAMN YOU TRUCK-SAMA!”

 

* * *

 

**Second World**

 

* * *

 

 

Harry Potter would one day grow up to a brave and noble man, willing to do whatever it took to get the job done and save people. A true hero. But right now, he was only a child who needed the protection of a good adult.

“Right.” I said as I picked up the small, bony little Harry Potter dressed only in his cousin’s clothes. “I’m going to take you home with me.”

He panicked so I had to stun him, but that was alright. Even kidnappers like me can be better than those awful Dursleys. Right?

 

* * *

 

 Unlike in those fanfictions, it really was not that easy to kidnap somebody else’s child.

“What do you want with him?” A wizard asked with an intense look in his blue eyes.  

“I’m going to take him home with me and raise him as my child. I’ve been watching how they treat him all day and there’s no way I can leave him there! Since his caretakers are incompetent, it’s only right I remove him and give him a better home.” I gave the wizard a scolding look. “You should really take better care of your children.”

The wizard’s face looked as if it were carved from stone. I knew that a fight would be imminent. A fight over legalities and loopholes and blood rights followed by all sorts of magical mumbo jumbo. Still, I had come prepared. In my career, it is impossible to stay ignorant of such things.

“Where do you want to go, Harry-kun?” I asked the boy.

The boy looked up at me with his piercing green eyes and said, “I want to go with you.”

The wizard, a man by the name of Albus Dumbledore, slumped back and finally said, “alright.”

In the end, I was the one who took Harry-kun with me.  

 

* * *

 

 

Since this body belonged to a Potter, it’s not as if Dumbledore can truly say anything beyond, “make sure he comes back for two weeks every summer.” I agreed to it, obviously, because those wards are really no joke. Harry and I can both stay with the Dursleys or the Dursleys can stay with us.

I’m not too bothered as long as I can take care of this child and raise him up properly to be a good man.

We don’t need another war.

Harry Potter was in the end, only a small child who had never been raised or protected like he should’ve been. Instead, the weight of the world was thrust upon his small shoulders from an early age. Used a sacrificial lamb by those who should've had his best interests at stake. Thrown into the most dangerous situations over and over again, instead of being given the space to heal.

You could even argue that deep down, he never stopped being that child sitting alone in that cupboard. He had never been allowed to be anymore than that. 

Although my comrades disagreed, I myself believe that had he been given a better life, none of this would’ve happened.

No one deserves to have this kind of life, devoid of human understanding.

Although sudden waking up like this was startling (and I confess I did not react well initially), it seems Fate has given me a special chance to save the life of this most unfortunate person. 

 

**The Master of Death, that feared Necromancer: Harry Potter**


	4. Explanation on Harry Potter snippet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More thoughts on this. Maybe one day I'll return to this story since the more I wrote down my thoughts, the more interested I was in it.

**Background notes from the Author:**

In the beginning, this was meant to be a normal fan put into this world and situation and deciding to take matters into their own hands. Then it started sounding like a Japanese light novel and something you would expect if an Katekyou Hitman Reborn character jumped in. Maybe it's because of the other story I'm working on?

I didn't want it to be a crossover, so this is merely a Japanese OC that is most likely male.

Then when I wrote the scene with Dumbledore, it felt more like the OC was some sort of Sidhe or Faerie folk. "You don't protect your child well enough? Ok. Then he's my child now" that kind of thing, which would be a show of how different their culture is (and why wizards don't like them very much).

But as time went on, it became clear that this is a twist on the usual 'go back in time and raise the dark lord so he's better' with Harry cast as the Dark Lord and this character as the person who has decided to become his parent. This would've probably become a slice of life story where they build on their relationship as parent and child.

I would include a lot of the popular tropes in this category. For example, Harry would've been too sharp, too wary, and too hurt at first, but slowly starts to soften and sweeten, but only around the main character. He would not, however, have fallen in romantic love, but merely see the main character as the person most precious to him. His parent, so to speak.

This version of Harry would've had a very interesting dynamic with Voldemort, I think.

In the future- because this is a huge part of this genre of story in webnovels- there would be a strong likelihood that our main character would eventually be returned to his original body and finds that nothing changed even though the future should've changed. This is because our Harry either belongs in a different world, the main character's 'death' caused Harry's breakdown in the first place, or there was a simple misunderstanding and Harry is actually trying to do something very good.

Harry would be misunderstood a lot, because he is not good at speaking to people he doesn't know, but he would grow up to be a very kind hearted person who knows his own self worth, which is something I'd always hoped that our canon Harry gained along the way.

I'm tempted to go back to this story in the future because I love the idea behind it, but for now, I think it's fine to leave it as a short snippet. My current writing is rather clumsy, don't you think? I fear I wouldn't be able to do it justice. If enough people want me to expand on this or any of the other stories though, I'll definitely really consider doing it.


	5. Sailor Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is getting expanded. I was writing the note of explanation for it and...yeah.

One day, our hero woke up in the body of a small child with a mind full of foreign memories. The last thing they had seen was a truck. It was obvious what happened.

 

“AH! I’ve been isekai-ed! DAMN YOU TRUCK-SAMA!”

 

* * *

 

 

**Three to Seven**

 

* * *

 

 

  1. Game of Thrones.



 

“No. I’m going to be a peasant for the rest of my life. Ah. My crops just got destroyed. You bastard Fate. How dare you do this to me.”

 

  1. Ouran High School Host Club



 

“What’s the point of an isekai in this kind of universe? All you do is go back to school and reenter the rat race, albeit in a more privileged position- added responsibilities included. I’d rather not deal with these high school gigolos either, thanks.”

 

  1. Katekyo Hitman Reborn!



 

“I’m not going to join the damn mafia. Get out.”

 

  1. Well then, what do you want?



 

“Just let me rest in peace, ok? I’ve been dead for at least a hundred years. The only thing that kept me going was the thought that I would one day be able to finish all my work and then sleep peacefully for the rest of eternity. Let me sleep peacefully damnit!

 

  1. Sailor Moon



 

“That's that one anime right? The one with the roses? Acceptable.”

 

Born as the younger brother of Tsukino Usagi, kept safe out of danger, and pretending not to notice your pubescent big sister running around in high heels and a miniskirt kicking ass and taking names all in the name of the Moon. But isn’t this kind of existence boring? It’s just reentering the rat ra-

 

“Ah! Now I remember who he reminds me of! Prince Consort Tranquility, Serenity’s Father!”

 

What the fuck, Fate. What the fuck.

 

“Ehhhhh! Shingo was my Papa!? I don’t feel too good..”

 

“Don’t feel bad! Similarity doesn’t necessarily make him your Papa, Usagi-chan.”

 

“Ami-chan is right. He might just be a relative.”

 

“Or another one of your future children.”

 

“Rei-chan…Mako-chan…”

 

“It’ll be ok, Princess! No matter what happens, we’ll definitely be by your side.”

 

“Minako-chan is right! We’ll definitely stand by your side, Usagi-chan!”

 

“Minako-chan…Luna…everyone! Thank you!”

 

At this point, the much debated Shingo stuck his head in Usagi’s room and spoke up: “Hey. Can you guys pipe down with your overly emotional sentimentality. I’m trying to sleep!”

 

“Eh? Shingo! You were listening the whole time?”

 

“Also. Miss Talking Cat, please stop talking. You are shattering my illusions of normality! I still want to pretend this is all a very strange dream that I’ll wake up from!”

 

This is a world full of male damsels in distresses and I definitely don’t want to become a damsel in distress. Fate! How could you do this to me? I’ll definitely haunt you after this!

 

(Why…why would you send me back into my original world, where I had lived so wretchedly?)

 


	6. Explanation on Sailor Moon snippet

**An explanation from the author:**

**1\. On Sailor Moon**

I've always liked the 'expanding on canon' world building aspect about fanfiction. I think it's because my first fandom was in Harry Potter, while waiting for the next book to be published. The second had to be Sailor Moon, I think. 

My first fanfiction was a Sailor Moon fic, one of those betrayal fics that were popular back then. I wanted to add a ton of new Sailor Soldiers too because I wanted to be able to get all the elements in. To my youngest self, it was very helpful in helping me cope with experiencing the same thing in my waking life and to cope with the powerlessness I felt in my circumstances.

Only, all the criticism I kept getting when I already had so little reviews to begin with, caused me to become very discouraged and I eventually took it down and moved onto other fandoms. Thinking back, that's a shit thing to do to a kid who hadn't even (or barely) entered their teens, but what can you do? It's not like any of those kids on their power trips knew about my true age. Back then, even constructive feedback was harsh. I wasn't any better though since I thought taht was normal. I left the Yugioh fandom for the same reason, come to think of it. Some people on the forums would get all caps lock on me.

(That's a fandom I never plan on returning to, to be honest. Too cringe-worthy now.) 

Sailor Moon was my outlet and it has a special place in my heart. Like a lot of people, it was my First. I really loved, admired, and desired more expansion on the characters and their stories, more on their backgrounds and motivations. The recent reanimation really made me happy because watching the original version...it felt like an older woman giving advice, like entering a world only girls can enter. It was very well done considering the original target audience. I admire Takeuchi for her ability in this. 

Naturally, the characterization in this story is closer to the new version of the anime (and thus, the manga). There isn't as much character building, but I always found the 90's version of the anime obnoxious. Maybe it was the dub. I think if I watch again, I might feel differently, but eh. I don't want to. 

**2\. On the Story**

Maybe one day I'll write this story. Here is what I have right now: 

Tsukino Shingo is a curmudgeon. He has lived far too many lives, has argued with fate far too many times to put up with any of this. The last line I put, about him having lived a painful life in the Sailor Moon world, was a throw in that I kept because it fit so very well. Because of how Sailor Moon is drawn, he also resembles his past life self, but only very few knew about him in the first place back in his past life. 

He has his mother's dark and curling hair and shares the same eyes as his sister. 

(And yes he was very handsome in the past too. Curling black hair that shone oddly in the light, almost as if it were tightly interwoven with silver, and the same eyes as Serenity. He's older than her in that lifetime though.) 

Here is his rough background, in case I never get to writing this (I really want to though): 

In his previous life in this world, he was known as Narcissus, the son of Nehelenia. I'm not sure where Tranquility would've come in. Perhaps it is because they were both males and come off similarly? Maybe Nehelenia and Queen Serenity fought over him. Who knows. The main point is that once, Nehelenia was a member of the Lunar Royal Family known as Artemis. Only, something happened and she was sent to rule over the Dark Side of the Moon. Keep them under control for her older sister. Perhaps they overthrew the previous dynasty and that was what jump started the Silver Millennium?

Narcissus would have been a cousin of Serenity, but one that was never allowed to meet her. His mother only cared for herself so he grew up in a very cold and dark world. As a result, he kept to himself and learned never to trust others. In short, he was a hikkomori long before the term existed. 

He only had his mirror as his companion, a mirror that allowed him to see the world. Naturally, he kept to himself and only looked at his mirror. This sparked stories of "Narcissus, the handsome boy who fell in love with himself" because his mirror's ability was something he wisely kept to himself. 

Princess Serenity was originally just the cousin he was mildly curious about, but when either he or she accidentally entered one another's dreams, he could no longer ignore her. He had no interest in helping his mother because even as he loved her, he resented her. Not only that, but Serenity was innocent. Although cold and sometimes disdainful, he wasn't a bad person. In the end, he helps her and as time goes on, watches over her from his magic mirror. 

See where this is going? He realizes that she is living in a world that is warmer than his. 'These kinds of gentle and kind things, I can't partake in' he thought to himself. This was a bitter feeling, living this cold and dark life in this barren wasteland while the rest of the world lived on and lived happily without him through no fault of his own. It was a very painful thing to discover, but unlike his mother who grew bitter, the gentle Narcissus decided that rather than let this bitterness overwhelm him, he wanted to protect the ones who could enjoy such a life. 

Even if I can't have it, that doesn't mean they can't. I don't want other people to feel lonely like me. 

Of course, Princess Serenity or one of her Soldiers would've naturally noticed that there was a strange man watching over her. Young Serenity (nicknamed Serena) might have fancied it a romantic thing and that maybe he was in love with her. Maybe she loved him too? How romantic! 

But Narcissus had never felt this way. To him, had things been different, he and Serena might have grown up together as siblings so he naturally cared for his younger cousin as he would a sister. (I'm not sure if he even understands what romantic love is.) Serena was in love with love, but he was very patient with her. In that respect, he can be said to be her first love. 

In time, they would've met with one another and perhaps this is where Serenity got her advanced sneaking around skills when she meant Endymion later on. Through her, Narcissus experienced a brief moment of warmth and genuine happiness, a time where he'd found peace and was genuinely trying to be a good ruler, making things better for the beings that lived in that place. Even if they are different from us, he thought, that doesn't mean we can't try to understand one another. 

With these new changes, his mother became discontent. She wanted her son to live as painfully as she did. So ruthlessly tried to use him to get to Serena to attack Queen Serenity. Narcissus would sacrifice himself to foil this plot and save Serena as well as the Queen who he had always been told looked down on him and hated him. The Queen would most likely have asked, shocked, 'why did you save me' because she recognized this fact and also, perhaps, his loneliness. Narcissus would've said something like 'because you are Serena's mother'. 

Or perhaps, Nehelenia would've killed her son before he could meet with Serena and let Serena think he'd abandoned her and never cared. Maybe she would've tried to revive him as an undead puppet and he would've eventually found his consciousness and killed himself before being used against the person he loved most (though not romantically).

The point is, Queen Serenity, seeing this innocent boy and the lives that had been sacrificed because of her and her sister's past foolishness, would've forever banished her sister so that she could never hurt anyone again. In the end, she could not kill the sister that had once so loved her. Their story would've been touched on and I assure you, it would've been appropriately melancholy and sad. 

The last words of Narcissus would be him musing of what it would've been like if he'd grown up with her, while a sobbing Serena tries to tell him it'll be alright and she'll show him the beautiful flowers in the garden and the stream that runs through it and the way Earth looks like a blueberry. He says, "I'd like that" and that's the end of it. 

For some reason I would've no doubt created, probably due to the way he died (maybe his soul was held captive by his mother for a while), Narcissus' soul would've gone through the journey he did, where Fate attempted to stuff him into various bodies and he rejected every single one for silly reasons. However, he eventually returns home to the world he always belonged to.

 

Unfortunately, because he's been a bitter curmudgeon to fate and resisted attempts to have his soul shoved into places he doesn't know, he's younger than Serena this time instead of being the older brother he was meant to be. 

 

As Shingo, he calls Usagi Serena when he slips up, but she's told him she doesn't mind. It can be something they both shared. He'll blush, of course, because he's not used to this. Mamoru wouldn't be too jealous (perhaps an initial reaction, at most) because first, Shingo is her brother now, like what's he going to do? and second, it's clear this person does not understand what romance is and is possibly denser than Usagi. So he tucks that reluctant Shingo under his metaphorical, overly fluffy wing and tries to mentor the little grouch. Think the Sempai Underclassman male duo you often see in a manga. It's a bit like that. Shingo gets snippy, Mamoru apologizes and drags his family's child away. He grows fond of Shingo and Shingo grows (reluctantly) fond of him. 

 

Around this time, it would've been either before Sailor Moon R, where Chibi Usa came or in the one after, but I like the idea of it being around this time because of this idea: Maybe it's earlier on and when Shingo dies for some reason or another, the Silver Crystal revives him to how he should've been. His family takes it in stride. Oh Shingo's grown up? How nice! (Or maybe, to them, he's always grown up)

 

Prince Diamond, who greatly resembles a Lunarian, would've fallen in love with Shingo. He originally loved Serenity due to her beauty and loftiness, that disdainful look in her eyes, but nobody is as good as that as Shingo. Serena can only try, ok? He was the one who originally taught her to do that to dissuade her many suitors. You get a flashback scene where Narcissus goes, 'the moment you sense any attraction- and I know you're not stupid even if you like to pretend to be- just give them this look!' 

Naturally, Prince Diamond immediately switches love targets. Everybody thinks he is insane, but to Prince Diamond, not only is this person lofty and beautiful, disdainful and cold, but also...he understands what it is like to be banished into darkness for something you don't have control over. Originally, Prince Diamond and his people were the descendants of criminals, banished from the Lunar kingdom. They don't deserve to be punished for what their ancestors did! (I think that's anime adaption? According to wiki, but I thought I read that in the manga?) 

(I'll probably up Shingo's age or make him turn older for some reason or another because Shingo in the manga is a soft and adorable looking child and even if he isn't really a child, it doesn't fit Sailor Moon's aesthetic and overall feeling to keep him this way.)

So Prince Diamond's new target is Shingo. He wants this man and he wants him bad. Unfortunately, Shingo only thinks he is a deviant because he kept sending monsters to attack innocent people and not only that, he also has trouble considering that this weirdo harbors romantic feelings for him. Narcissus was the king of shut ins, ok? 

Not only that, but everybody else is (violently) protective of Shingo because look how small he is? How much he suffered? You pervert! How dare you! So we see a new side to Usagi and the girls around her.

 

"In the name of the moon, I'll punish you! Stay away from my little big brother!" 

"This person is clearly older than he looks, ok? And in the first place, my love is beautiful and pure and true!" 

"Like we'd believe that! Venus Love Me Chain!" 

 

There would be a fight, but the bad guys would naturally be defeated. Prince Diamond would go in a more subtle way because he is the subtle and careful type, "so if I go back in time to the Silver Millennium, can I romance you?" Shingo thinks he's weird and says, "no that's too complicated. just stay here"

 

What was that, Shingo? You want to be with me forever? I accept! I will happily be your knight and follow you to the grave! 

 

Consider Diamond the re-occurring antagonist/reluctant rival who finally remembers what he was fighting for, before the Crazy Wiseman came. Whenever you need a filler, have him be doing something stupid to get Shingo's attention. Even if I can't get him to love me, at least I can get him to pay attention to me would be his mindset.

After a while, it comes across very sad so the others start to pity him, even as some of them (such as Venus and Jupiter) are on their guard. Usagi, of course, is overprotective but has moments of softness where she helps him as well. Soon enough, they are sort of friends, but Usagi denies it. She doesn't like sharing, deep down, even though she doesn't say it out loud. 

 

We would see a whole new side to her! Ahahaha! I love warrior women right now. 

 

Included in this story would be lots of world building. 

I really wished there'd been more expansion on world building, personally. More on what the Silver Millennium was like. So in this story, we would see more of it. Here is my worldbuilding: 

Queen Serenity was the daughter of Queen Serenitas and once, she was a conqueror. She conquered the other planets, a sort of King Arthur, if you will. The other Soldiers were hers in the way the Knights of the Round Table were Arthur's. Originally, they'd been political hostages, but that's an idea I've put in another story and there's too many (entirely unintentional) similarities as it is, but with more bloodshed and the commoners win in the end. Cough.

Metallica was a former queen who had been conquered but refused to submit. 

Long lived as the Lunarians were, the Queen had softened over time. Usagi is a sign of that, of Serenity's hope for the future. 

 

Haha now that I'm writing this stuff down, explaining my thought processes behind everything, I really want to write more. I didn't think this would happen, but the more I wrote, the more I came up with. 

 

I'm definitely writing this. Expect a chapter sooner or later. Shit. I'm stuck, guys. 

 

Sailor Moon has always been my biggest inspiration and has always influenced my work. I like royalty, I like moons and elements and pretty dresses, I definitely love romantic stories where the heroine saves her man, but most of all, I love the thought of reincarnation and lovers being reunited after their sad story. After every sad story is a happy ending! 

Actually, as I was writing this, I realized that Sailor Moon influenced my world building for my current story, Existential Crisis. I had a lot of scenes involving this matriarchal country of warrior women, but perhaps I should channel this into this story and see what works and what doesn't. 

 

 


	7. Fruits Basket

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In honor of the new anime coming out. This is written in a style that (probably sort of maybe) more closely resembles a Japanese Isekai Light Novel -but only the translated ones I have read haha. Not only that, but it's pretty close to a proper oneshot isn't it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the closest to a full blown one shot...at least until the next one. There's an extra chapter that kind of covers the effects of Ahiru's existence.

One day, our hero woke up in the body of a small child with a mind full of foreign memories. The last thing they had seen was a truck. It was obvious what happened.

 

“AH! I’ve been isekai-ed! DAMN YOU TRUCK-SAMA!”

 

* * *

 

 

**Eight: Fruits Basket**

 

* * *

 

Even if the Sohma family have their compound nearby, there really is no point to my doing anything.

 

First, I barely remember this anime. Not only that, but I didn’t even finish the manga.

 

Second, what little I do remember is that after many touching stories, the happy ending was finally reached. There was even a part near the end that covered the elderly versions of the main characters, implying that they all lived happy and fulfilled lives.

 

Wouldn’t my stepping in ruin everybody’s hard earned efforts and jeopardize their happy endings?

 

Third, Not only that, but everybody paired up so well. Even if you wanted to throw me into a romantic plot line, there’s no way I would participate in such a thing.

 

Fourth, wouldn’t it be arrogant to assume I could save everybody? It would only get people’s hopes up and dash them into pieces. And for what? My own selfish satisfaction?

 

No way.

 

Therefore I chose not to do anything and live a normal life instead.

 

“Hey um…can you move out of the way, Mister…”

 

“Thi-this! Do you not know who this is, little girl!?”

 

“...he’s blocking my view of the trees.”

 

“Little girl, from the very beginning…isn’t this our compound!?” The bodyguard said impatiently. 

 

“There’s no need to worry, Mr. Bodyguard. This isn’t for a weird reason or anything, it’s for my art project. And I don’t even enter your compound. Shouldn’t it be fine this way?”

 

“Even if you say that…how can I believe-!”

 

Then the blond man held out his hand and the guard immediately quieted down. Turning to me, he asked, “Do you like these trees, Miss?”

 

I looked at him and nodded. “Yes! I like them very much.”

 

“Then you are welcome to come and look at them whenever you like, so long as you do not disrupt the duties of those working here.”

 

That was very reasonable. Naturally, I agreed.

 

Thinking back now, he might have been asking for my name, but I was too nervous to say anything. Even though I am a calm person with a tomboyish personality, I’m still a girl, you know. A girl who was being glared at by this tall bodyguard with scary eyes.

 

“May I have your name, Miss?”

 

I was very embarrassed when the blond man asked that, because I’d always thought of myself as a polite person.

 

“Ah! I’m sorry. My name is Kimura Ahiru!”

 

The man, still smiling, said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kimura. My name is Sohma. Sohma Akira.”

 

I don’t remember who this guy is. Since I did not recognize his name, I assumed he must have been an extra or perhaps, a nameless Sohma not mentioned in the story. Somebody less important than the main characters.

 

Keeping that in mind, I decided not to worry so that I could drop by every once in a while to enjoy the sight of his trees.

 

(It was only years later, when he named our first child Akito, that I realized how wrong I was.)

 

* * *

 

(Akira POV)

 

Every day, there is a young girl dressed sloppily in her school uniform who comes to see the trees on the outskirts of my compound. She comes in the morning, before school, and in the afternoon, after her classes have ended. Since the time I first saw her, it has been four months. My bodyguard, Sawamura, thinks she is impertinent, but I like the look on her face whenever her eyes meet the trees.

 

It is as if she is watching an exotic view while traveling to a different country. As if, at any moment, this view can be taken away from her so she has to look at it as often as she can. It is very curious to see that look in her eyes and watch her smile as if these trees were more valuable than anything this world had to offer.

 

In this bleak and lonely place, it is hard to want to do anything but stay where I am all day, but when I can look at her expressions, I find it easier to get up and move. It is easier to want to do things when you see somebody else doing it. Without realizing it, I began to look forward to her appearance in my compound.

 

No matter if it is a satisfied, frustrated, or melancholy expression, I want to see every one spread across her face, like the watercolors she loves to sketch with so much.

 

As such, I told the servants to let her watch in peace.

 

Since she has not done anything bad nor spoken with or otherwise interrupted the servants in their duties, it should not be a problem if she only does this small thing.

 

“She’ll only push against those boundaries, Lord Akira.” Sawamura warned me, “her type always does.”

 

“How do you know her type, Sawamura? All she does is look at the trees and leaves without saying a word.”

 

“...those eyes. They are the eyes of a killer! Unflinching! Unafraid of even death!”

 

Sawamura is prone to these kinds of delusions. Last week, he thought one of the maids was an assassin sent by the mafia to poison me with cyanide because her hand lotion had an almond scent that soured when it expired. Despite his strange behavior, he is still one of my most loyal and capable subordinates. Out of them all, he understands me the best.  

 

“Worry not, Lord Akira! I will definitely investigate this girl for any of the usual suspects”

 

I’m never sure what he means by the usual suspects, but because it is always interesting to hear of what he experiences and sees outside, I allowed him to go ahead with the investigation. Sawamura reported to me regularly about this child-of the art she loved so much, of her family and friends, and of how she often kept even them at arm’s length.

 

It seems, she was not as young as I expected. I thought she was in middle school, due to her unkempt state and general lack of consciousness as a woman, but it seems she was a high school girl after all.

 

“Aha! A nefarious plot to seduce our family’s Young Master! Art project indeed!”

 

“By climbing and peering over our wall?”

 

When she climbed up there, she looked so clumsy I had to look away because I could see what was underneath her skirt.

 

“...I will do more investigations, my master.”

 

“I am curious about how her art project went.”

 

The next time he reported his investigations, he entered the room with a dark look on his face. Then he knocked his head against the ground.

 

“My master! I’m so sorry! I have failed you!”

 

I sat up, unsure of what to say. While it is true that I write well due to the large number of books I have written, it is not the same as being able to speak it.

 

“What happened?”

 

“She caught me! And then that impertinent little chit said, since you’re like this can you please deliver this to your master? This is the art project I finally finished.’ As if I were a simple errand boy!”

 

I laughed and pretended not to see Sawamura’s startled expression. I too do not remember the last time I have laughed because of another person.

 

“Here, let me see.” And since I was in a playful mood, I added, “Ah, but did you make sure to check for contact poisons?”

 

Sawamura stiffened before knocking his head against the floor again. “I’m so sorry! That wicked woman entirely distracted me when she praised you.”

 

“No…no need to do that, Sawamura,” I said as I put a hand out to stop him, “Haven’t we known one another since childhood?”

 

In the past, there was no need for formalities. We were like ordinary children, once, running about the garden and enjoying the spring breeze. Those times have long since passed. 

 

“Don’t worry, Young Master! I’ll check for the contact poison immediately!”

 

“Please let me look at it first, before you put it away.” In case it gets destroyed. “And what did she say about me?”

 

“Only that…here.” From his side pocket, he gingerly pulled out a note.

 

“To Sohma Akira-san,” he read, “thank you for allowing me to see the autumn trees. Although this picture is not very well-drawn, I hope that it will at least give you something to laugh about.”

 

How badly must the picture be for her to think I would laugh at it? 

 

“What does it look like?”

 

He unrolled the scroll and unveiled the picture. In black and colored ink, the trees were painted in autumn splendor. Vibrant yet melancholy, as if you were watching the sunset fade into the night sky. Slowly, gradually, as if it’d never been in the first place. For a small moment, it felt as if I were watching it with her.

 

Isn’t that strange? How loneliness can shape us to the point that we fantasize of watching sunsets with complete strangers?

 

“How could I laugh at something like this?” I said, blinking back tears.

 

At that time, I didn’t understand, how a complete stranger could understand me so well. How could anybody possibly understand all that I had given up? All that will be given up for the sake of this family?

 

Yet it felt as if, in that tiny moment of darkness, a sudden and bright light came, so vivid you could not look away.

 

So lovely you wondered how you had existed without it.

 

(Is it alright…if I capture that sunset for myself?)

 

* * *

 

(Ahiru POV)

 

All I came here for were the trees, but all I could remember was the look in his eyes. A look-a brief burst of a familiar emotion- one that I could only describe through my art. Whenever I thought of that feeling, that was when I worked on this self assigned project.

 

Without realizing it, I had found a muse.

 

(Sorry little Tohru, it seems I am a selfish person after all.)

 

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have always felt bad for the Akira who was so lonely and preyed upon by that opportunistic and abusive Ren. Ren clearly needed mental help and I have no doubt she was abusive to Akira too, considering how she treats their daughter. Albeit in a more subtle way. People like that can never truly hide their colors. 
> 
> Writing this reminded me of a short manga I read, about an artist kept inside by his mother, for fear that the innocence that created such beautiful artworks would be destroyed by him going out into the world. Then, one day, he meets a beautiful high school girl, with long dark hair and porcelain like skin, and finds his muse. From there, we see a more subtle, good feeling story where he has the experiences he wanted and is finally allowed to grow up. I really think that Ahiru and Akira would have that kind of story, only she is the artist and he a sickly clan head. Even though he has an innocence to him, I like to think Akito inherited a lot from him so maybe he's a little twisted and bitter inside too. 
> 
> If you want an expansion on this, where I cover their love story and or the family drama that occurs, I'd have trouble with it since I couldn't finish the series for some reason, but I really wish I'd been able to write more on this. I still really like this work and really feel satisfied with it, especially the extra part. Maybe the new anime will help?


	8. Fruits Basket EXTRA: AKITO

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akito knows she is loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The bolded part is a quote from a translation found on the internet. Hopes nobody minded. In keeping with the previous chapter's feeling and also... I shoved so many plot points in here, it's not hard to imagine what Akito's backstory and family conflict is about. 
> 
> While writing this, my heart twinge at certain parts. I felt so sad when I thought of this happier Akito and her warm childhood with her brother and then of the canon Akito who felt so alone for so very long. She's a lot like Akira in that way.

  

**EXTRA 1: Akito**

 

* * *

 

 

Father was warm and kind, but Mother was cool and difficult to understand.

 

**“Akira-san didn’t die alone. He went peacefully. It was all very sudden and he passed quickly. There was one person there in the end. Akito-san was there to care for him. Akira-san’s will was received by Akito-san.”**

 

At that time, I hadn’t understood mother’s relieved expression. Only the tears that slid down her face as she embraced me.

 

“Thank you, my little Akito…because of you, he didn’t die alone. My brave, wonderful Akito.”

 

* * *

 

 

Father loved Mother and cherished her very much. Before he succumbed to his illness, he told me that she was someone that Heaven had entrusted him with, a blessing from God in return for all the bitterness he endured in the past. The fact that I was possessed by the God of the Zodiac was simply more evidence to him that their union was special.

 

Mother did not say any such thing to me.

 

“As long as Akito can enjoy her favorite water colors and books, then that’s good” was all she said.

 

I wasn’t content with that kind of answer at all. Everybody had told me that I was great and blessed by the Gods, but I wanted, more than anything, more than anyone, to hear it from Mother herself. Mother, however, refused to give me such a thing.

 

For many years, I resented her bitterly for it until Honda Tohru told me, “but isn’t that so she doesn’t put more pressure onto you? You already have so many responsibilities…at such a young age. I can’t believe somebody who looks at you with such warm eyes would hate you.”

 

It had never occurred to me that that might be the case.

 

* * *

 

 

The day before Mother went to hospital, we took a stroll through the gardens. She pointed at a bare patch near the trees, now in full autumn splendor. They were Mother’s favorite trees and every day, she took a walk beneath their leaves.

 

“Your father proposed to me at this very spot.” She told me one day. “The day I graduated from high school, he was the first person I went to see. Originally, I was set to go overseas to further build my art career, but when Akira-san asked me to stay, I could not look away. I was still wearing my school uniform too…”

 

Despite the many opportunities given to her, she rashly threw it all away to be with Father. Although I am grateful it happened as I wouldn’t exist otherwise, I still can’t understand that kind of reasoning at all.

 

“Why couldn’t you look away?” I asked, eager to understand Mother’s logic. The last time I asked her, she smiled and nonsensically said, “...life is meaningless without a muse and Akira-san is my favorite muse.”

 

At the time, I had thought it to be because of Father’s illness, but Uncle Sawamura later told me that was not the case. “Lady Ahiru is a strange, mysterious woman,” he’d said. “Even your father had difficulty understanding her reasoning.”

 

“Because…” Mother suddenly blushed “…I just couldn’t.”

 

“That-that’s not a good reason at all!”

 

“One day…maybe with Shigure, you’ll know what it feels like.”

 

With Shigure? What does he have to-

 

“Mo-Mother! That is disgusting.”

 

“It’s how you were born, Akito. You’re in your twenties now…how can you be so naive?”

 

“Aren’t you supposed to tell me not to do these things?”

 

“If I did, you wouldn’t listen. Don’t you remember when you were young and I told you not to throw pebbles at the ducks? Originally, you had lost interest, but after I told you not to do it, you started throwing them with full force.”

 

I remember that day. Father had been upset, but Mother was the one who said, “she hasn’t hit any of the ducks. Her throws are too inconsistent. Let her throw and one day, she’ll be tired of it.”

 

What kind of Mother says that kind of thing? Don’t you think that’s twisted? But Father looked thoughtful and said to me, “Akito, when you’re tired of throwing these things, make sure you know how to take care of what happens after.”

 

I thought it was weird and stubbornly threw rocks into the water until my arms got tired. Mother then made me take care of the ducks from then on. I had to feed them with the servants.

 

“It’ll teach you how to throw better next time,” she said. “The next time you throw stones at somebody or something living, I’ll make sure you learn how to take care of them properly. As your mother, it’s my duty to ensure you grow up to a good and happy person.”

 

“But I’m going to be the clan head! How can I take care of all these little birds?”

 

“Akito, you may be the next clan head, but you are my daughter first and foremost!”

 

When I complained to Father, Father said, “Mother is only trying to teach Akito to be a good person.”

 

“Shouldn’t she be teaching me to be a better clan head?”

 

“This is teaching you to be a better clan head.”  

 

I stopped throwing things, after that.

 

* * *

 

 

When Mother went to the hospital, I sat beside her and watched, just as with Father, as her breathing slowed. She smiled and said with closed eyes, “this is a hundred times better than being hit by a truck.”

 

“Mother, please don’t say such strange things on your deathbed.”

 

“You might get isekai-ed if you keep saying that, Mom.” joked my younger brother Kazuya. As usual, he was entirely irreverent.

 

I scoffed. He reads too many light novels. At this point, his brain will rot into nothing.

 

“No.” Mother’s voice was peaceful. “I have already fulfilled my quota of one.” She leaned back. “I thought Akira-san was a minor character or maybe a background character that didn’t exist in the book but to fill specific roles within this world so I didn’t have any interest at first but…” she looked at me and smiled. “I was too selfish to stay away. The trees really are beautiful…”

 

“Mother, what are you talking about?”

 

Mother’s mind was deteriorating rapidly. It was painful, seeing such an intelligent woman be reduced to so little, but Mother bore it as she did everything else: steadily and calmly, like an island in the sea.

 

“It’s my fault,” Mother said, “since I watched the anime first. I forgot most of it. Then, when the manga ended, I tried to read it only to give up less than a quarter of the way through. I skipped to the very end to see the happy ending and found that that was good enough. I didn’t know anything about the plot. Since my knowledge was entirely useless, I decided to ignore it and live a normal life instead.”

 

That…that sounds like a pretty normal isekai story. Sooner or later, the main character will always be thrown into a plot of some sort, regardless of their desires for a normal life.

 

“When I was mysteriously and suddenly isekai-ed, it was scary so I ignored it and went back to trying to understand this strange world. It was only chance that I met Akira. And then your father took parts of the protagonist’s storyline for himself and I thought it best not say anything.”

 

“Storyline? What was the storyline?”

 

“Kazuya, please sit properly in your chair. As for the storyline, it was the relationships between the characters, their troubled past, and The Curse of the Zodiac.”  

 

Ever since the Rabbit curse was lifted-long before I was old enough to remember-the other curses began to follow. I can’t imagine having so many members to manage. It’s hard enough as it is, always having to dispute between Yuki and Kyo’s bickering or whatever trouble those three have gotten themselves into. This is why Isuzu is my favorite- she doesn’t get into trouble and quietly enjoys her normal everyday life.

 

“Why are you telling us now? Aren’t you not supposed to tell anybody?” Kazu’s voice was hushed, his eyes wide like a rabbit’s.

 

He really doesn’t know how to read the atmosphere of the room. Since he is only a teenager, I’m not sure how much of this he understands. As always, he is acting so carefree, without any doubts to mar his view. Gullible, overly sympathetic, and easily misunderstood…that is my younger brother.

 

“You’re too gullible, Kazu.” I scolded. “Mother’s just out of it right now.”

 

Even though Kazu resembles Father the most, Mother has always said he was the child most like her. Seeing her solemn face and subtle expressions, I can’t imagine it at all. Wasn’t I the one who resembled her most?

 

“Recently, your father appeared to me in a dream and with a serious face told me that if I didn’t tell him the full details, he wouldn’t talk to me when I arrived. Because Akira will always be beside our children, I thought to tell everybody at once. That was his promise to me, before he left this world. Whoever goes first has to watch the other.” She tried to sit up and struggled uselessly for a moment before giving up.

 

Yes, that sounds like something Father would do. It sounds like something both of them would do. Our parents have always been like that. As a result, Kazuya and I had always had a warm upbringing and because of Mother’s love for drawing animals, this warmth spread to others as well.

 

(Or rather, she took random animals home to see if they would turn back into humans.)

 

“Don’t force yourself, Mother.” I said as I gently pressed her back down. To distract her from her futile quest, I asked, “Isn’t it normally waiting for the other person instead?”

 

“Promising that kind of thing is useless. No matter who is living and who is dead, both parties will have to wait until they are reunited.”

 

I could not deny the logic in her statement.

 

“Akito…when the time comes, I want you to read my letters to Akira and maybe, you will find things a little clearer.”

 

* * *

 

 

Sometimes, when I think back to that moment, I wish I’d- never mind.

 

There’s no point in wondering about such a worthless thing.

 

* * *

 

 

She didn’t pass into the next world that day, nor did she pass on the next. Instead, we spoke to her all the things we wished we had said and asked before, speaking of our dreams and regrets. Mother smiled and listened to every one, even ones as stupid as Kazu’s.

 

“I’m going to write a lot of light novels,” he said, “and force Akito to take care of the family.”

 

“I was already planning on doing that, idiot.”

 

Mother laughed weakly.

 

“Akito, Kazuya, both of you are my beloved children. Please be kind and take care of one another. You are siblings. Even if you find each other annoying, even if you resent each other, you still share the same parents, the same blood and the same love that raised you.”

 

Soon after, Mother left this world.

 

She left this world the same way she’d lived in it: quietly, peacefully, and selfishly. I can’t say I dislike it though.

 

Why?

 

Because I was the same way.

 

“Shigure, please don’t leave me.” I pleaded, the day he was set to go abroad. “Stay here, with me. I can’t do this alone.”

 

Shigure shook his head and my heart dropped, feeling cold at the sudden realization he would leave me. Even though it was childish, I still held onto our childhood promise.

 

Suddenly, he smiled.

 

“There was never a study abroad. I lied and told Kazuya, knowing he’d immediately panic and tell you.”

 

“W-what? What did you just say?”

 

A shout came from the bushes. “What!? I was tricked!”

 

“Thank you for your romantic proposal,” Shigure said with a smile. That tricky bastard. “Don’t worry, Akito. I’ll be sure to take good care of you for the rest of your life.”

 

“Wait, I didn’t-I didn’t propo-”

 

“Congratulations on your upcoming marriage, Akito!” Said that silly Honda Tohru as she and the others jumped out from their hiding places.

 

“Do-don’t tell me… you were all watching this entire time!?” I demanded, "and why is the (remaining) zodiac here!?”

 

“It’s for moral support.” Hatori said seriously. “And because the idiot wouldn’t stop giggling about it.”

 

“...I didn’t want Big Brother Shigure to leave.” Kazuya admitted.

 

I turned to Shigure, face dark. “You…everyone, you’re all fired!”

 

“You can’t fire members of the Zodiac, Akito." Yuki said peevishly.

 

Arms crossed, Kyo added, “Yeah. You’re stuck with us forever. Even if you fire us, we’ll all just come back. You’ll never get rid of us!”

 

Those idiots.

 

Tohru smiled. “Akito is very protective of Kazuya now. I’m happy you two are getting along now.”

 

Kazuya and I looked at one another and spoke at the same time.  

 

“We’ve always gotten along,” he said. “It was only me who was mistaken.”

 

“It’s Mother’s last wish, after all.”

 

“N-no…that’s not why…(I’m being nice to you now, Sis)”

 

* * *

 

Later that evening, after everyone had gone home and Kazuya stumbled off to his room, Shigure told me, “Even if you did fire us and all the curses all broke today, we still wouldn’t leave you. You know that, right?”

 

“I know,” I said, “I know." 

 

 

* * *

 

  **EXTRA 2: Mother and Daughter**

 

* * *

 

 

“I’m your daughter, aren’t I? Everybody says I look the most like you! Why-why are you only nice to Kazuya!? Do you love him more?”

 

As if I were a child again, Mother dried my tears and wrapped me up in her warmth.

 

“Mother is sorry. I did not mean to…it is hard for you to understand me and that is my fault. Kazuya is most like me when I was young, but Akito is most like Father. Where Kazuya approaches me of his own accord, I have to approach Akito and make sure she has the strength to know that no matter who leaves and who doesn’t, she will always be my child first.”

 

No matter how much I tried to hold them back, my tears came regardless. She wiped them away with the corner of her sleeve. “M-mother…”

 

“It’s been a long time since you’ve relied on me. Ever since you were young, you were always independent and level-headed. Akira was like this as well, putting everything on his shoulders and leaving nothing left for anyone else. Let other help you too, Akito. Don’t be afraid. No matter what happens, everyone will support you. Rely on them and don’t be afraid of others taking away what will come to you naturally.”

 

I pulled back. “Ho-how did you know I was having trouble with this?”  

 

“You’re definitely Akira’s daughter,” she said with a chuckle, “both afraid of the same things. You have nothing to fear from that Tohru Honda. Everyone will want to be by Akito’s side no matter what, not because she is ‘Emperor’ or Clan Head, but because she is Akito."

 

Like a child, all I could do was hold onto Mother as she told me the tender words I had most wanted to understand.

 

“It is difficult to understand, but Father was not perfect either. He was always afraid somebody would take me away or that I would leave on my own, but I never did because just as Akito is Akito, Akira is Akira. He probably never understood this, but…our lives on this earth are so short. One day, you may wake up and find yourself in a new world with different memories, where the only thing you have left of your previous life is yourself. When- if that time every comes, I want my children to also have the strength and willpower to keep moving forward and build a better life for themselves.

 

So I told him to stop telling you about this curse and about how special you are for it. Or talking so much about you being the future clan head! You already heard enough of it from the servants, why does he need to put that heavy weight on your shoulders as well? Wasn’t the curse enough!?"

 

I told him to stop it! You are special because you are our child, but he never listened to me! Stubborn and pigheaded as always! Now my daughter thinks her mother hates her and this is all that Akira’s fault! When I see him again…I’ll definitely scold him for it!”

 

“Mother…don’t blame Father. Father, from the very depths of his heart, was surely trying to show his love to me.”

 

After Father died, Mother often looked into the distance sadly before smiling and saying, “this is all that Akira’s fault!” To the point that even if she stubbed her toe, she would suddenly and randomly blame Father. At first, I thought she hated Father and I listened too much to the idle chatter of the maids.

 

It was not until after this that I understood.

 

“...my dear Akito is too kind. This kindness surely comes from me and not your pigheaded Father! Even if you were to wake up in a new world with nothing but your memories, you should always have the courage to keep moving onward. You can’t do that if you’re too focused on useless things such as your position in life. Teaching you this is my duty as a mother! I told him before…but all he ever did was shake his head and say that angels don’t understand worldly things so he will do that part for me!”

 

It was at that moment that I realized…Mother had been greatly misunderstood by me. She missed Father and thought of him often to the point that she couldn’t go at least a day without thinking of him. What I had thought to be expressions of hatred, were actually the expressions of a deep and mutual love.

 

Much as I often blamed Shigure for petty things and picked on him to feel less useless(ly) (in love), Mother does the same for Father.

 

* * *

 

“What are you laughing about, Akito?”

 

“Just now, I realized that I too am Mother’s daughter.”

 

Shigure stared at me, bemused. “Did you think you weren’t? You act just like Lady Ahiru. You even blame me the same way she does Lord Akira.”

 

I couldn’t help myself. I laughed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional: although Kazuya looks cute and funny here, the kind of dorky kid you'd worry about, he's only like this with his family. To everyone else, he comes off rather sarcastic and a little aloof, a little disdainful. He picked some up from Akito, but he's like that normally. He feels like he is a twisted person and an ingrate who wrongly resents his sister for her brilliance (and long shadow), but isn't sure how to deal with it or how to fix it. Luckily, Tohru helped him through it, as she always does. 
> 
> Of course, Akito had her own issues as well. Lots of fear and pressure, and a worry that she'd never amount to the hopes placed upon her. Her resenting Kazuya for having their mother's love and doting, the childhood she never could have. And of course, her desire to prove herself to her mother, whose calm and placidity makes her nervous and anxious, even if she has trouble voicing it.


End file.
